Ethanol’s “net return on energy invested” (NROEI) triples, say researchers, due to production efficiencies

The Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research said that recent studies conducted by the university conclude that the energy balance, and net return on energy invested, for ethanol is much higher than previously thought, in fact up to three times better according to the study authors. The study found that 1.5-1.6 more units of energy are derived from ethanol than are used to produce it. The increase in yields of ethanol from corn, increase in corn yields, and the reduction in the energy intensity of the ethanol production process, is responsible for the change.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

USDA increases biodiesel net energy return calculation by 10 percent; cites improved processing in first revision since 1998

The US Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with researchers at the University of Idaho, released anew calculation of the energy balance of biodiesel. The new ratio, a net return of 3.5 units of...

Corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gases by 40 percent compared to gasoline, and can expand to 33 billion gallons by 2030, new studies find

The Illinois Corn Growers Association released two studies from the ProExporter Network and the University of Illinois' Chicago's Energy Resources Center, that conclude that US ethanol production has ...

Cyclone Power completes testing of biofuels-compatible, external combustion, steam engine

In Florida, Cyclone Power Technologies announced that it had completed performance tests of its external combustion engine for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). According to Cyclone, tests de...

Iowa State researchers predict cellulosic ethanol production will fall 80 percent short of Energy Act target

Researchers at Iowa State University have forecast that cellulosic ethanol production in the US will peak at 4.5 billion gallons by 2022, and only if US government incentives are increased to $1.55 pe...

Nigerian cassava growers say that ethanol investment provide 13 percent return for farmers, 83 percent return for communities

The Nigerian Cassava Growers Association said that Nigeria will save over $6.1 billion by 2012 on the importation of kerosene and gasoline. The group also said that a study by SJH Associates demonstra...

Brazilian study finds ethat sugarcane ethanol is among “cheapest, easist” methods of reducing GHGs

In Brazil, a study published by the  Interdisciplinary Center of Energy Planning at the University of Campinas found that sugar cane-based ethanol "is among the cheapest and easiest ways to reduce gr...